Controlling uplink power for transmission of an uplink channel and an uplink reference signal

ABSTRACT

The disclosure is related to multiplexing an uplink channel and an uplink reference signal transmitted on uplink, and controlling an uplink power, in user equipment in the case of carrier aggregation. In a case of performing a resource mapping for a simultaneous transmission of a sounding reference signal (SRS) and a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on a same cell, a last symbol of a subframe transmitting the PUSCH may not be mapped to a resource element for the PUSCH.

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2012-0113844 (filed on Oct. 12, 2012) andKorean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0021542 (filed on Feb. 27, 2013),which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to multiplexing an uplink channel and anuplink reference signal transmitted on uplink, and controlling an uplinkpower, in user equipment in the case that carrier aggregation isapplied.

Carrier aggregation (CA) is transmission and reception of signalsthrough two or more component carriers. In carrier aggregation, userequipment may simultaneously transmit an uplink channel (e.g., an uplinkdata channel and/or an uplink control channel) and an uplink signal to atransmission/reception point. In this case, typically, a singletransmission timing advance (TA) value for the user equipment isidentically applied to all different component carriers or all differentserving cells. Herein, the transmission TA value is indicated by thetransmission/reception point.

However, in the case that multiple transmission TA values are indicatedfor the user equipment, multiplexing and/or power control methodsbetween an uplink channel and an uplink signal on different componentcarriers (or serving cells) or component carrier groups (or serving cellgroups) might be required to be different from multiplexing and/or powercontrol methods in the case of a single TA.

SUMMARY

In accordance with at least one embodiment, a method may be provided forcontrolling an uplink power in user equipment. The method may includeconfiguring multiple timing advance groups (TAGs); and performing aresource mapping for a simultaneous transmission of a sounding referencesignal (SRS) and a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on a samecell. Herein, the resource mapping may be performed such that a lastsymbol of a subframe transmitting the PUSCH is not mapped to a resourceelement for the PUSCH.

In accordance with another embodiment, a method may be provided forcontrolling an uplink power in user equipment. The method may includeconfiguring multiple timing advance groups (TAGs); and controlling anSRS transmission in the case of a simultaneous transmission of asounding reference signal (SRS) and at least one of a physical uplinkshared channel (PUSCH) and a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) ondifferent cells. Herein, the controlling may include dropping the SRS ifa total transmit power exceeds a maximum allowable transmit power(P_(CMAX)) of the user equipment on an overlapped portion betweensymbols transmitting the SRS and symbols transmitting the at least oneof the PUSCH and PUCCH on the different cells.

In accordance with still another embodiment, a method may be providedfor controlling an uplink power in user equipment. The method mayinclude configuring multiple timing advance groups (TAGs); anddetermining a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmit power in a caseof a simultaneous transmission of a plurality of SRSs on differentcells. Herein, the determining may include determining a transmit powerof each SRS by performing an identical scaling if a total transmit powerexceeds a maximum allowable transmit power of the user equipment on anoverlapped portion between symbols transmitting the plurality of SRS.

In accordance with still another embodiment, user equipment may beprovided. The user equipment may include a receiver and a controlprocessor. The receiver may be configured to receive configurationinformation associated with multiple timing advance groups (TAGs). Thecontrol processor may be configured (i) to configure the multiple TAGs,and (ii) to perform a resource mapping for a simultaneous transmissionof a sounding reference signal (SRS) and a physical uplink sharedchannel (PUSCH) on a same cell. Herein, the resource mapping may beperformed such that a last symbol of a subframe transmitting the PUSCHis not mapped to a resource element for the PUSCH.

In accordance with still another embodiment, user equipment may beprovided. The user equipment may include a receiver and a controlprocessor. The receiver may be configured to receive configurationinformation associated with multiple timing advance groups (TAGs). Thecontrol processor may be configured (i) to configure the multiple TAGs,and (ii) to control an SRS transmission in the case of a simultaneoustransmission of a sounding reference signal (SRS) and at least one of aphysical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and physical uplink controlchannel (PUCCH) on different cells. Herein, the control processor may beconfigured to drop the SRS if a total transmit power exceeds a maximumallowable transmit power (P_(CMAX)) of the user equipment on anoverlapped portion between symbols transmitting the SRS and symbolstransmitting the at least one of the PUSCH and PUCCH on the differentcells.

In accordance with still another embodiment, user equipment may beprovided. The user equipment may include a receiver and a controlprocessor. The receiver may be configured to receive configurationinformation associated with multiple timing advance groups (TAGs). Thecontrol processor may be configured (i) to configure the multiple TAGs,and (ii) to determine a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmit powerin a case of a simultaneous transmission of a plurality of SRS ondifferent cells. Herein, a transmit power of each SRS may be determinedby performing an identical scaling if a total transmit power exceeds amaximum allowable transmit power of the user equipment on an overlappedportion between symbols transmitting the plurality of SRS.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a wireless communicationsystem to which at least one embodiment may be applied;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a simultaneous transmission of HARQACK/NACK and a CSI using PUCCH format 2 in accordance with at least oneembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a concept of an uplink data/controlchannel(s) and an SRS in the case that a single timing advance (TA) isapplied;

FIG. 4 illustrates a symbol overlapping or collision between differentcomponent carriers (or serving cells) or component carrier groups (orserving cell groups), and between an uplink data/control channel(s) andan SRS in the case that multiple transmission TA values for userequipment are indicated;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a concept of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 2;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a concept of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 2;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 3;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a concept of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 3;

FIG. 11 is a system flowchart illustrating a method of controlling anuplink power in accordance with other embodiments;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a transmission/reception point inaccordance with some embodiments; and

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating user equipment in accordance with someembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the followingdescription, the same elements will be designated by the same referencenumerals although they are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, inthe following description of the present embodiment, a detaileddescription of known functions and configurations incorporated hereinwill be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the presentembodiment unclear.

A wireless communication system in accordance with at least oneembodiment may be widely used in order to provide a variety ofcommunication services such as a voice service, a packet data service,and so forth. The wireless communication system may include userequipment (UE) and at least one transmission/reception point. In thepresent description, the term “user equipment (UE)” is used as a generalconcept that includes a terminal in wireless communication. Accordingly,the user equipment (UE) should be construed as a concept that includes amobile station (MS), a user terminal (UT), a subscriber station (SS),and/or a wireless device in a global system for mobile communications(GSM), as well as user equipment used in wideband code division multipleaccess (WCDMA), long term evolution (LTE), and/or high speed packetaccess (HSPA).

The transmission/reception point may indicate a station thatcommunicates with the user equipment. Such a transmission/receptionpoint may be referred to with different terms, for example, a basestation (BS), a cell, a Node-B, an evolved Node-B (eNB), a sector, asite, a base transceiver system (BTS), an access point (AP), a relaynode (RN), a remote radio head (RRH), a radio unit (RU), an antenna, andthe like.

That is, in the present description, the transmission/reception point,the base station (BS) or the cell may be construed as an inclusiveconcept indicating a portion of an area or a function covered by a basestation controller (BSC) in code division multiple access (CDMA), aNode-B in WCDMA, an eNB or a sector (a site) in LTE, and the like.Accordingly, a concept of the transmission/reception point, the basestation (BS), and/or the cell may include a variety of coverage areassuch as a megacell, a macrocell, a microcell, a picocell, a femtocell,and the like. Furthermore, such concept may include a communicationrange of the relay node (RN), the remote radio head (RRH), or the radiounit (RU).

In the present description, the user equipment and thetransmission/reception point may be two transmission/reception subjects,having an inclusive meaning, which are used to embody the technology andthe technical concept disclosed herein, and may not be limited to aspecific term or word. Furthermore, the user equipment and thetransmission/reception point may be uplink or downlinktransmission/reception subjects, having an inclusive meaning, which areused to embody the technology and the technical concept disclosed inconnection with the present embodiment, and may not be limited to aspecific term or word. Herein, an uplink (UL) transmission/reception isa scheme in which data is transmitted from user equipment to a basestation. Alternatively, a downlink (DL) transmission/reception is ascheme in which data is transmitted from the base station to the userequipment.

The wireless communication system may use a variety of multiple accessschemes such as CDMA, time division multiple access (TDMA), frequencydivision multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multipleaccess (OFDMA), OFDM-FDMA, OFDM-TDMA, OFDM-CDMA, and/or the like. Suchmultiple access schemes, however, are not limited thereto. At least oneembodiment may be applied to resource allocation in the field ofasynchronous wireless communications evolving to LTE and LTE-advanced(LTE-A) through GSM, WCDMA, and HSP, and in the field of synchronouswireless communications evolving into CDMA, CDMA-2000, and UMB. Thepresent embodiment should not be construed as being limited to orrestricted by a particular wireless communication field, and should beconstrued as including all technical fields to which the spirit of thepresent embodiment can be applied.

In the case of an uplink transmission and a downlink transmission, atleast one of a time division duplex (TDD) and a frequency divisionduplex (FDD) may be used. Herein, the TDD may perform theuplink/downlink transmissions using different times. The FDD may performthe uplink/downlink transmissions using different frequencies.

In a LTE or LTE-A system in conformance with a corresponding standard,an uplink and/or a downlink may be formed based on one carrier or a pairof carriers. In the case of the uplink and/or downlink, controlinformation may be transmitted through such control channels as aphysical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical control formatindicator channel (PCFICH), a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel(PHICH), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), and/or so forth.Data may be transmitted through such data channels as a physicaldownlink shared channel (PDSCH), a physical uplink shared channel(PUSCH), and/or the like. In the present specification, PDCCH may be aconcept including EPDCCH.

In the present description, the term “cell” may indicate one of coverageof a signal transmitted from a transmission point ortransmission/reception point, a component carrier having the coverage,and the transmission/reception point. Herein, the term“transmission/reception point” may indicate one of a transmission pointtransmitting a signal, a reception point receiving a signal, and acombination thereof (i.e., a transmission/reception point).

In the present description, the term “HARQ ACK/NACK” is an abbreviationof “hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)-acknowledgment (ACK)/negativeacknowledgement (NACK),” and may be referred to as a hybrid-ARQacknowledgement, or a hybrid ACK/NACK signal. Channel state information(CSI) might refer to a channel state information report such as a rankindicator (RI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), and a channelquality indicator (CQI).

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a wireless communicationsystem to which at least one embodiment may be applied.

Referring to FIG. 1, wireless communication system 100 may be one of acoordinated multi-point transmission/reception (CoMP) system, acoordinated multi-antenna transmission system, and a coordinatedmulti-cell communication system. Herein, the CoMP system may transmitsignals through cooperation between a plurality oftransmission/reception points. Wireless communication system 100 such asa CoMP system may include a plurality of transmission/reception points110 and 112, and at least one user equipment (UE) 120 and 122.

The transmission/reception points may be, as shown in the figure, one ofa first transmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110) and a secondtransmission/reception point (e.g., RRH 112). Herein, the firsttransmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110) may be a base station or amacrocell (or macronode). The second transmission/reception point (e.g.,RRH 112) may be at least one picocell which is wiredly controlled bycoupling to the first transmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110)through an optical cable or an optical fiber. Furthermore, the secondtransmission/reception point (e.g., RRH 112) may have either a hightransmission power, or a low transmission power within a macrocellregion. The first and second transmission/reception points (e.g., eNB110 and RRH 112) may have the same cell identity (ID) or different cellidentities.

Hereinafter, a downlink (DL) may represent communication or acommunication path from transmission/reception points 110 and 112 touser equipment 120. An uplink (UL) may represent communication or acommunication path from user equipment 120 to transmission/receptionpoints 110 and 112. In the downlink, a transmitter may be a portion oftransmission/reception points 110 and 112, and a receiver may be aportion of user equipment 120 and 122. In the uplink, a transmitter maybe a portion of user equipment 120, and a receiver may be a portion oftransmission/reception points 110 and 112.

Hereinafter, a situation in which a signal is transmitted or receivedthrough such channels as PUCCH, PUSCH, PDCCH, and/or PDSCH may bereferred to by the expression “transmit or receive PUCCH, PUSCH, PDCCH,and/or PDSCH.”

The first transmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110) corresponding toone of transmission/reception points (e.g., 110 and 112) may perform adownlink transmission to user equipment 120 and 122. The firsttransmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110) may transmit PDSCHcorresponding to a primary physical channel, for unicast transmission.Furthermore, the first transmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110) maytransmit PDCCH in order to transmit downlink control information, suchas scheduling information required for receiving PDSCH, and to transmitscheduling grant information for an uplink data channel (e.g., PUSCH)transmission. Hereinafter, “transmit or receive a signal through achannel” may be referred to as the expression of “transmit or receive achannel.”

As described in FIG. 1, first user equipment (UE1) 120 may transmit anuplink signal to the first transmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110).Second user equipment (UE2) 122 may transmit an uplink signal to thesecond transmission/reception point (e.g., RRH 112) of a plurality oftransmission/reception points (e.g., 110 and 112). Alternatively, firstuser equipment 120 (UE1) may transmit an uplink signal to the secondtransmission/reception point (e.g., RRH 112), and second user equipment122 may transmit an uplink signal to the first transmission/receptionpoint (e.g., eNB 110). Unlike FIG. 1, two or more user equipments mightbe included in wireless communication system 100. However, forconvenience of descriptions, wireless communication system 100 will bedescribed as including two user equipments 120 and 122, one transmittingan uplink signal to the first transmission/reception point (e.g., eNB110) and the other transmitting an uplink signal to the secondtransmission/reception point (e.g., RRH 112).

In this case, as described later, first user equipment (UE1) 120 maytransmit an uplink signal to the first transmission/reception point(e.g., eNB 110), and second user equipment (UE2) 122 may transmit anuplink signal to the second transmission/reception point (e.g., RRH112).

In a wireless communication system, when performing an uplinktransmission, user equipment may transmit an uplink demodulationreference signal (UL DMRS or UL DM-RS) per slot such that channelinformation for demodulation of data channels is recognized. In case ofan uplink DM-RS associated with PUSCH, user equipment may transmit areference signal through one symbol per slot. In case of an uplink DM-RSassociated with PUCCH, user equipment may transmit reference signalsthrough a different number of symbols according to PUCCH formats. Forexample, in case of PUCCH formats 1/1a/1b (i.e., PUCCH format 1, PUCCHformat 1a, and the PUCCH format 1b), a reference signal may betransmitted through three symbols per slot. In a case of PUCCH formats2/2a/2b/3 (i.e., PUCCH format 2, PUCCH format 2a, and PUCCH format 2b,and PUCCH format 3), a reference signal may be transmitted through twosymbols per slot.

The PUCCH is used as an uplink control channel and is associated with aformat classified according to a type of information transmitted fromuser equipment. Table 1 below shows PUCCH formats.

TABLE 1 PUCCH format Modulation scheme Number of bits per subframe(M_(bit)) 1 N/A N/A 1a BPSK 1 1b QPSK 2 2 QPSK 20 2a QPSK + BPSK 21 2bQPSK + QPSK 22 3 QPSK 48

The PUCCH formats 1/1a/1b (i.e., the PUCCH format 1, the PUCCH format1a, and the PUCCH format 1b) may be used for transmitting a schedulingrequest (SR) and HARQ-ACK. The PUCCH formats 2/2a/2b (i.e., the PUCCHformat 2, the PUCCH format 2a, and the PUCCH format 2b) may be used fortransmitting a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrixindicator (PMI), and a rank indicator (RI). The PUCCH format 3 may beused for transmitting multiple HARQ ACK/NACKs.

Hereinafter, each PUCCH format and usages thereof will be described inmore detail.

The PUCCH format 1 is a channel format for transmitting only ascheduling request (SR). The PUCCH formats 1a/1b (i.e., the PUCCH format1a and the PUCCH format 1b) are channel formats for transmitting ascheduling request (SR) and/or ACK/NACK for a downlink data channel.Herein, the PUCCH formats 1a/1b may be classified according to thenumber of bits of ACK/NACK and a corresponding modulation scheme.Meanwhile, in the case of the PUCCH formats 1a/1b associated with anACK/NACK transmission, the last SC-FDMA symbol of a subframe may bepunctured. In this case, PUCCH format 1a with the punctured SC-FDMAsymbol may be referred to as “shortened PUCCH format 1a.” Similarly,PUCCH format 1b with the punctured SC-FDMA symbol may be referred to as“shortened PUCCH format 1b.” One of the PUCCH formats 1/1a/1b may beselected and used based on a value (e.g., “TRUE” or “FALSE”) of an RRCparameter (e.g., “ackNackSRS-SimultaneousTransmission”) andcell-specific information of a sounding reference symbol (SRS), providedby an associated higher layer of a transmission/reception point.

The PUCCH format 2 is a channel format for transmitting only a channelquality indicator (CQI). Meanwhile, the PUCCH formats 2a/2b (i.e. thePUCCH format 2a and the PUCCH format 2b) are channel formats fortransmitting ‘the CQI’ and ‘ACK/NACK corresponding to a response to adownlink data channel.’ The PUCCH formats 2a/2b may be classifiedaccording to the number of bits of ACK/NACK and a modulation scheme.

The PUCCH format 3 is a channel format for transmitting ACK/NACK havinga length of more than four bits in downlink carrier aggregation. In thecase of the PUCCH format 3 associated with an ACK/NACK transmission, thelast SC-FDMA symbol of a subframe may be punctured. In this case, PUCCHformat 3 with the punctured SC-FDMA symbol may be referred to as“shortened PUCCH format 3.” In other words, the last SC-FDMA symbol ofthe shortened PUCCH format 3 is not mapped to resource elements. One ofthe PUCCH format 3 and the shortened PUCCH format 3 might be selectedand used based on a value (e.g., “TRUE” or “FALSE”) of a RRC parameter(e.g., “ackNackSRS-SimultaneousTransmission”) and cell-specificinformation of an SRS, provided by an associated higher layer of atransmission/reception point.

Meanwhile, in an LTE communication system corresponding to wirelesscommunication systems, a demodulation reference signal (DMRS or DM-RS)and an SRS may be defined for an uplink. Three types of referencesignals (RSs) may be defined for a downlink. Herein, the three types ofthe reference signals (RSs) may include a cell-specific reference signal(CRS), a multicast/broadcast over single frequency network referencesignal (MBSFN-RS), and a UE-specific reference signal.

An uplink sounding reference signal (SRS) might be used for measuring anuplink channel state for an uplink frequency-dependent scheduling. Suchan uplink SRS might be also used for measuring uplink and downlinkchannel states in order for downlink beam-forming using channelreciprocity in a time division duplex (TDD) system. In the case of theuplink SRS, a certain transmission/reception point or a certain cell inwireless communication system 100 may transmit parameters for SRSgeneration (i.e., parameters for generation of the SRS transmitted byuser equipment) to the user equipment. Herein, the parameters for SRSgeneration may include a cell-specific SRS bandwidth, a transmissioncomb, a UE-specific SRS bandwidth, hopping related configurationparameters, a frequency domain position, a periodicity, a subframeconfiguration (designating which subframe will transmit an SRS), anantenna configuration (designating the number of antennas transmittingan SRS and the number of antenna ports), a base sequence index, a cyclicshift index (i.e., a reference signal to be used for SRS generation),and so forth. Herein, transmission comb may designate frequencypositions assigned at intervals of two types of subcarrier spacing. Forexample, “0” may denote even subcarriers and “1” may denote oddsubcarriers. The base sequence index may be an SRS sequence index forgenerating a corresponding SRS. The SRS sequence index may bedetermined, based on sequence group number u used in PUCCH and basesequence number v defined according to a sequence hopping configuration.More specifically, a corresponding transmission/reception point (e.g.,eNB 110) may transmit the parameters for SRS generation, as RRCparameters, to user equipment 120. User equipment 120 may receive theparameters for SRS generation from eNB 110, and transmit an uplink SRSto eNB 110.

Furthermore, an aperiodic SRS may be defined along with a periodic SRS.In the case of the aperiodic SRS, like a case of the periodic SRS,parameters to be used for generation of the aperiodic SRS may betransmitted, as RRC parameters, to user equipment 120 by a certaintransmission/reception point. Herein, the parameters for generation ofthe aperiodic SRS may include a UE-specific SRS bandwidth of aperiodicSRS, a transmission comb, a frequency domain position, a periodicity, asubframe configuration, an antenna configuration, a base sequence index,a cyclic shift index, and so forth, as defined in wireless communicationsystem 100.

In addition, a certain transmission/reception point may dynamicallytrigger user equipment 120 through a PDCCH such that user equipment 120can transmit a periodic SRS. When receiving a triggering signal throughthe PDCCH and RRC parameters, user equipment 120 may transmit an uplinkaperiodic SRS.

Hereinafter, in the case that a simultaneous transmission of an uplinkPUCCH and a sounding reference signal (SRS) is considered within onesubframe, an operation of corresponding user equipment will be describedin detail.

In the case that a simultaneous transmission of the PUCCH and the SRS isconsidered, operations of corresponding user equipment may be defined(or configured) according to a PUCCH format type and an SRS type.Herein, the SRS may be classified into a periodic SRS (or referred toherein as “type 0 triggered SRS”) and an aperiodic SRS (or referred toherein as “type 1 triggered SRS”). Furthermore, such operation of userequipment may be defined in consideration of adapting multiple componentcarriers.

Operations of user equipment according to an SRS type (e.g., a periodicSRS or an aperiodic SRS) and a PUCCH format may be defined as follows.

(i) In the case that a PUCCH format 2/2a/2b transmission and a periodicSRS transmission coincide in the same subframe, user equipment may nottransmit an periodic SRS.

(ii) In the case that a PUCCH format 2/2a/2b transmission carryingACK/NACK and an aperiodic SRS transmission coincide in the samesubframe, user equipment may not transmit an aperiodic SRS.

(iii) In the case that a PUCCH format 2 transmission not carryingACK/NACK and an aperiodic SRS transmission coincide in the samesubframe, user equipment may not transmit the PUCCH format 2 withoutACK/NACK.

(iv) In the case that a PUCCH format transmission carrying both or oneof ACK/NACK and a scheduling request (SR) and an SRS transmissioncoincide in the same subframe, if the parameter“ackNackSRS-SimultaneousTransmission” defined by a higher layer isFALSE, user equipment may not transmit an SRS. Herein, the SRS may be aperiodic SRS or an aperiodic SRS.

(v) In the case that a shorten PUCCH format transmission carrying bothor one of ACK/NACK and a positive SR and an SRS transmission coincide inthe same subframe, if the parameter“ackNackSRS-SimultaneousTransmission” defined by a higher layer is TRUE,user equipment may transmit both of the shorten PUCCH format and an SRS.Herein, the SRS may be a periodic SRS or an aperiodic SRS.

(vi) In the case that a PUCCH transmission carrying both or one ofACK/NACK and a positive SR using a normal PUCCH format and an SRStransmission on a serving cell coincide in the same subframe, userequipment may not transmit an SRS. Herein, the SRS may be a periodic SRSor an aperiodic SRS.

(vii) Meanwhile, the parameter “ackNackSRS-SimultaneousTransmission” maybe provided by a higher layer as an RRC parameter. Such a RRC parametermay be used for determining if user equipment is configured to support asimultaneous transmission of HARQ ACK/NACK on PUCCH and an SRS in thesame subframe. In the case that the user equipment is configured tosupport a simultaneous transmission of HARQ ACK/NACK on PUCCH and an SRSin one subframe, if a corresponding subframe is a cell-specific SRSsubframe in a view of a first cell (e.g., primary cell, primarycomponent carrier, Pcell), the user equipment may simultaneouslytransmit the HARQ ACK/NACK and the SRS using a shortened PUCCH format.Herein, the shortened PUCCH format may be used regardless of whether theSRS is transmitted in the corresponding subframe. If the correspondingsubframe is not a cell-specific SRS subframe of the first cell, the userequipment may perform a transmission of HARQ ACK/NACK and an SRS usingone of normal PUCCH format 1/1a/1b or normal PUCCH format 3.

Hereinafter, an operation of user equipment for a simultaneoustransmission of ACK/NACK and a periodic CSI in one subframe on an uplinkPUCCH will be described.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a simultaneous transmission of HARQACK/NACK and a CSI using PUCCH format 2 in accordance with at least oneembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2 (a), in the case of a normal cyclic prefix (CP),HARQ ACK/NACK and a CSI may be simultaneously transmitted using PUCCHformat 2. In this case, CSI transmission information may be block-codedand modulated using QPSK. As a result, each subframe may include tensymbols. The first five symbols may be transmitted in the first slot,and the remaining five symbols may be transmitted in the second slot.

Each slot may include seven DFTS-OFDM symbols. Among the seven DFTS-OFDMsymbols in each slot, two symbols may be used for transmission of anuplink DM-RS. When HARQ ACK/NACK and a CSI are simultaneouslytransmitted, a second DM-RS symbol in each slot may be modulated by HARQACK/NACK. One of a BPSK modulation scheme and a QPSK modulation schememay be used according to whether feedback information is ‘one bit ofHARQ ACK/NACK’ or ‘two bits of HARQ ACK/NACK.’ In each slot, each offive QPSK symbols to be transmitted and the second modulated DM-RSsymbol may be multiplied by a cyclic shifted length-12 cell-specificsequence. Herein, the second modulated DM-RS symbol may be the secondDM-RS symbol modulated by HARQ ACK/NACK, among the DM-RS symbols in eachslot. The multiplication result may be transmitted in a correspondingDFTS-OFDM symbol.

Referring to FIG. 2 (b), in the case of an extended cyclic prefix (CP)having six DFTS-OFDM symbols per slot, the same structure may be used.However, each slot may include one uplink DM-RS symbol, instead of twouplink DM-RS symbols. CSI transmission information and HARQ ACK/NACK areblock-coded and modulated using a QPSK modulation scheme. As a result,each subframe may include ten symbols. In this case, the first fivesymbols may be transmitted in the first slot, and the remaining fivesymbols may be transmitted in the second slot. Each of five QPSK symbolsto be transmitted in each slot is multiplied by a cyclic shiftedlength-12 cell-specific sequence. The multiplication result may betransmitted in a corresponding DFTS-OFDM symbol.

For example, the parameter “simultaneousAckNackAndCQI” may be providedby a higher layer as an RRC parameter. Such an RRC parameter may be usedfor determining if user equipment is configured to support asimultaneous transmission of HARQ ACK/NACK and a periodic CSI in thesame subframe. If the user equipment is configured to support asimultaneous transmission of HARQ ACK/NACK and a periodic CSI in onesubframe, the user equipment may simultaneously transmit the HARQ-ACKand the periodic CSI using PUCCH format 2a/2b in a correspondingsubframe.

Hereinafter, a power control method will be described according towhether a transmit power limitation exists. In other words, in the twocases (e.g., a power limited case and a non-power-limited case), amethod of performing a power control in carrier aggregation will bedescribed in detail. Particularly, methods of performing a power control(i) between uplink transmission channels, (ii) between an uplink channeland an SRS, and/or (iii) between SRSs, under carrier aggregation will bedescribed in detail.

In the case that user equipment is configured to support a simultaneoustransmission of PUCCH and PUSCH, if a total transmit power of the userequipment exceeds {circumflex over (P)}_(CMAX)(i), the user equipmentmay first determine a transmit power for the PUCCH, and then determine atransmit power of a corresponding PUSCH for a serving cell (“c”) withinthe remaining available transmit power. In this case, the user equipmentmay determine a PUSCH transmit power (i.e., a transmit power of thePUSCH) by scaling the PUSCH transmit power into a value between ‘0’ and‘1’.

In the above-described situation, user equipment may determine atransmit power of a corresponding PUSCH according to Formula 1 below.The user equipment may scale {circumflex over (P)}_(PUSCH,c)(i) for aserving cell (“c”) in subframe i such that the condition of Formula 1below is satisfied.

$\begin{matrix}{{\sum\limits_{c}{{w(i)} \cdot {{\hat{P}}_{{PUSCH},c}(i)}}} \leq \left( {{{\hat{P}}_{CMAX}(i)} - {{\hat{P}}_{PUCCH}(i)}} \right)} & \left\lbrack {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 1} \right\rbrack\end{matrix}$

In Formula 1, {circumflex over (P)}_(PUCCH)(i) denotes a linear value ofP_(PUCCH)(i), and {circumflex over (P)}_(PUSCH,c)(i) denotes a linearvalue of P_(PUSCH,c)(i) {circumflex over (P)}_(CMAX)(i) denotes a linearvalue of the UE total configured maximum output power P_(CMAX) insubframe i. w(i) denotes a scaling factor of {circumflex over(P)}_(PUSCH,c)(i) for serving cell c, where 0≤w(i)≤1. In the case thatthere is no PUCCH transmission in subframe {circumflex over(P)}_(PUCCH)(i)=0.

Meanwhile, if a total transmit power of user equipment exceeds{circumflex over (P)}_(CMAX)(i), the user equipment may determine atransmit power between PUSCHs transmitted on different componentcarriers or different serving cells, according to whether acorresponding PUSCH includes uplink control information (UCI). Morespecifically, the user equipment may perform a PUSCH transmit powerassignment in such a way that a serving cell or a component carrierassociated with ‘a PUSCH transmission with UCI’ has a higher priority.In this case, transmit power for ‘PUSCH without UCI’ may be determinedby performing a power scaling using an identical scaling factor betweenthe remaining serving cells or component carriers. Herein, a scalingfactor for a specific serving cell(s) or component carrier(s) may be setto ‘0’.

In the above-described situation, user equipment may determine atransmit power for a corresponding PUSCH according to Formula 2 below.If the user equipment has a PUSCH transmission with UCI on a servingcell j and a PUSCH transmission without UCI in any of the remainingserving cell(s), and if a total transmit power of the user equipmentexceeds {circumflex over (P)}_(CMAX)(i), the user equipment may scale{circumflex over (P)}_(PUSCH,c)(i) for the serving cells without UCI insubframe i such that the condition of Formula 2 below is satisfied.

$\begin{matrix}{{\sum\limits_{c \neq j}{{w(i)} \cdot {{\hat{P}}_{{PUSCH},c}(i)}}} \leq \left( {{{\hat{P}}_{CMAX}(i)} - {{\hat{P}}_{{PUSCH},j}(i)}} \right)} & \left\lbrack {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 2} \right\rbrack\end{matrix}$

In Formula 2, {circumflex over (P)}_(PUSCH,j)(i) denotes a PUSCHtransmit power for a cell with UCI, and w(i) is a scaling factor of{circumflex over (P)}_(PUSCH,c)(i) for a serving cell c without UCI. Inthis case, no power scaling may be applied to {circumflex over(P)}_(PUSCH,j)(i) unless

${\sum\limits_{c \neq j}{{w(i)} \cdot {{\hat{P}}_{{PUSCH},c}(i)}}} = 0$and a total transmit power of the user equipment exceed {circumflex over(P)}_(CMAX)(i). Furthermore, w(i) values are the same across servingcells when w(i)>0, but for a certain serving cell(s) w(i) may be ‘0’.

Meanwhile, if a total transmit power of user equipment exceeds{circumflex over (P)}_(CMAX)(i) the user equipment may perform atransmit power assignment between ‘PUCCH/PUSCH transmission with UCI’(i.e., simultaneous PUCCH and PUSCH transmission with UCI) and PUSCHtransmission without UCI′ transmitted on different component carriers ordifferent serving cells. More specifically, the user equipment mayperform a transmit power assignment in such a way that (i) a PUCCHtransmit power is first guaranteed and (ii) a PUSCH transmit power withUCI is secondly guaranteed. In this case, the remaining transmit powermay be assigned for PUSCH without UCI. That is, transmit power for PUSCHwithout UCI may be determined by performing a power scaling using anidentical scaling factor between the remaining serving cells orcomponent carriers. Herein, a scaling factor for a specific servingcell(s) or component carrier(s) may be set to ‘0’.

In the above-described situation, user equipment may determine atransmit power of a corresponding PUSCH according to Formula 3 below. Ifthe user equipment has a simultaneous PUCCH and PUSCH transmission withUCI on a serving cell j and a PUSCH transmission without UCI in any ofthe remaining serving cell(s), and if a total transmit power of the userequipment exceeds {circumflex over (P)}_(CMAX)(i), the user equipmentmay obtain {circumflex over (P)}_(PUSCH,c)(i) according to Formula 3below.

$\begin{matrix}{{{{\hat{P}}_{{PUSCH},j}(i)} = {\min\left( {{{\hat{P}}_{{PUSCH},j}(i)},\left( {{{\hat{P}}_{CMAX}(i)} - {{\hat{P}}_{PUCCH}(i)}} \right)} \right)}}{{\sum\limits_{c \neq j}{{w(i)} \cdot {{\hat{P}}_{{PUSCH},c}(i)}}} \leq \left( {{{\hat{P}}_{CMAX}(i)} - {{\hat{P}}_{PUCCH}(i)} - {{\hat{P}}_{{PUSCH},j}(i)}} \right)}} & \left\lbrack {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 3} \right\rbrack\end{matrix}$

Meanwhile, if a total transmit power of user equipment exceeds{circumflex over (P)}_(CMAX)(i) the user equipment may perform atransmit power assignment between SRSs associated with differentcomponent carriers or different serving cells. More specifically,transmit power for SRSs may be determined by performing a power scalingusing an identical scaling factor between the remaining serving cells orcomponent carriers.

In the above-described situation, user equipment may determine transmitpower of corresponding SRSs according to Formula 4 below. If a totaltransmit power of the user equipment for the SRSs exceeds {circumflexover (P)}_(CMAX)(i), the user equipment may scale {circumflex over(P)}_(SRS,c)(i) for a serving cell c in subframe i such that thecondition of Formula 4 below is satisfied.

$\begin{matrix}{{\sum\limits_{c}{{w(i)} \cdot {{\hat{P}}_{{SRS},c}(i)}}} \leq {{\hat{P}}_{CMAX}(i)}} & \left\lbrack {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 4} \right\rbrack\end{matrix}$

In Formula 4, {circumflex over (P)}_(SRS,c)(i) denotes a linear value ofP_(SRS,c)(i), and {circumflex over (P)}_(CMAX)(i) denotes a linear valueof P_(CMAX) (in subframe i. w(i) denotes a scaling factor of {circumflexover (P)}_(SRS,c)(i) for serving cell c, where 0<w(i)≤1. Herein, w(i)values may be the same across serving cells.

Meanwhile, in the case that carrier aggregation is applied, userequipment may transmit simultaneously an uplink channel (e.g., an uplinkdata channel and/or an uplink control channel) and an uplink signal(e.g., SRS) to a transmission/reception point. In this case, a singletransmission timing advance (TA) value (i.e., a transmission TA valuecorresponding to a single value) of the user equipment may beidentically applied to all different component carriers or all differentserving cells. Herein, the transmission TA value may be indicated fromthe transmission/reception point. In the case that a single TA isapplied, methods described above in association with multiplexing and/orpower control between uplink channels may be used as operations of userequipment.

Typically, a simultaneous transmission of an uplink channel (e.g., anuplink data channel and/or an uplink control channel) and an SRS in thesame symbol is generally not supported for the same component carrierand/or different component carriers. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3,if a single TA is applied, a symbol overlapping between an uplinkchannel (e.g., an uplink data channel and/or an uplink control channel)and an SRS might be effectively prevented.

However, in the case that multiple transmission TA values are indicatedfor the user equipment, multiplexing and/or power control methodsbetween an uplink channel and an uplink signal on different componentcarriers (or serving cells) or component carrier groups (or serving cellgroups) might be required to be different from multiplexing and/or powercontrol methods in the case of a single TA. In other words, a boundaryof uplink SC-FDMA symbols in one subframe may not accurately coincidebetween different component carriers (or serving cells) or differentcomponent carrier groups (or serving cell groups). For this reason,there may be an ambiguity when corresponding user equipment transmits anuplink channel (e.g., an uplink data channel and/or an uplink controlchannel) and an uplink signal. Accordingly, a transmission/receptionpoint and the corresponding user equipment may not necessarily recognizehow operations of the corresponding user equipment is are performed.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 4, in the case that multiple TA valuesfor user equipment are indicated, there may be an overlapping orcollision problem (e.g., a symbol overlapping, and/or an overlapping orcollision within one symbol) of an uplink channel (e.g., an uplink datachannel and/or an uplink control channel) and an SRS, between differentcomponent carriers (or serving cells) or different component carriergroups (or serving cell groups). For example, in the case that CC0(Pcell) and CC1 (Scell) are configured with different timing advancegroups (TAGs) (e.g., TAG0, TAG1), there may be an ambiguity associatedwith an uplink transmission (e.g., transmission of an uplink channel andan uplink signal) of user equipment, at the regions “410” and “420”.Accordingly, there also may be an ambiguity associated with an uplinkreception (i.e., reception of an uplink channel and an uplink signal) ina transmission/reception point.

Accordingly, in the case that user equipment is configured with multipleTAGs, multiplexing and power control methods associated with an uplinkchannel (e.g., an uplink data channel and/or an uplink control channel)and an uplink signal transmitted by the user equipment may be requiredto be defined.

The present embodiment is related to transmission and multiplexingmethods associated with control channels transmitted on uplink by userequipment, in the case that carrier aggregation is applied. Furthermore,the present embodiment is related to a method and an apparatus formultiplexing an uplink control channel and an SRS. Particularly, in thecase that multiple TAGs are adapted, the present embodiment may providemultiplexing and transmitting (i) between uplink control channels and anSRS and (ii) between SRSs.

More specifically, in the case that an uplink channel (e.g., an uplinkcontrol channel and/or an uplink data channel) and an SRS to betransmitted by user equipment are on different component carriersassociated with multiple TAGs under carrier aggregation, operations ofthe user equipment may be required to be newly defined.

Furthermore, in the case that multiple TAGs are configured, the presentembodiment may define operations of user equipment such that a backwardcompatibility is supported. Meanwhile, if a backward compatibility isnot required to be supported, the present embodiment may define newoperations of user equipment.

In this case, although a transmission/reception has formed multiple TAGsfor user equipment, if operations of the user equipment are associatedwith two or more uplink component carriers, specific component carriersmay belong to the same TAG. For example, in the case that two uplinkcomponent carriers are formed, each uplink component carrier may belongto the same TAG. For another example, in the case that three uplinkcomponent carriers are formed, two uplink component carriers may belongto the same TAG, and the other uplink component carrier may belong toanother TAG (i.e., a different TAG).

Accordingly, when considering the above-described scenario, in the casethat component carriers associated with transmission of an uplinkchannel (e.g., an uplink control channel and/or an uplink data channel)and an SRS belong to the same TAG, operations of user equipment may bedefined such that the user equipment operates according to an uplinkchannel/SRS transmission method (i.e., a transmission method of anuplink control/data channel and an SRS) defined in association with asingle TA.

Typically, only a single TA is generally supported. However, even in thecase that multiple TAGs are formed, in order to guarantee a backwardcompatibility, operations of user equipment for component carriersformed to belong to the same TAG may be determined (or defined)according to whether a transmit power to be transmitted by the userequipment is limited (i.e., according to corresponding to a powerlimited situation or a non-power-limited situation) as described later.

First, in the case (“Case 1”) that (i) different component carriersbelong to the same TAG, or different component carriers belonging todifferent TAGs are fully overlapped, (ii) a simultaneous transmission ofPUCCH/PUSCH and an SRS is expected, and (iii) a transmit power islimited, operations of user equipment may be defined as below.

For a simultaneous transmission of a PUCCH and an SRS (referred toherein as “PUCCH+SRS”), if a PUCCH format 2 transmission overlaps withan aperiodic SRS transmission, operations of user equipment may bedefined to transmit the aperiodic SRS. Otherwise, the user equipment maybe defined to always drop the SRS.

For a simultaneous transmission of a PUSCH and an SRS (referred toherein as “PUSCH+SRS”), if the PUSCH includes UCI, operations of userequipment may be defined such that a transmit power for a PUSCH with UCIis first guaranteed and the remaining transmit power is used for an SRStransmission. In this case, if there is no remaining transmit power forthe SRS transmission, user equipment may drop the SRS.

For a simultaneous transmission of a PUCCH, a PUSCH and an SRS (referredto herein as “PUCCH+PUSCH+SRS”), if a PUCCH format 2 transmissionoverlaps with an aperiodic SRS transmission, operations of userequipment may be defined such that the PUSCH and the aperiodic SRS aretransmitted. With respect to transmit power of the PUSCH and theaperiodic SRS, if the PUSCH includes UCI, operations of user equipmentmay be defined such that a transmit power for the PUSCH with the UCI isfirst guaranteed and the remaining transmit power is used for theaperiodic SRS transmission.

Furthermore, in this case, regardless of whether a PUSCH includes UCI,operations of user equipment may be defined to transmit PUSCH where thelast symbol reserved for an SRS transmission in a corresponding subframeis punctured such that the last symbol reserved for the SRS transmissionis not mapped to a resource element for the PUSCH. In other words, inthe case that user equipment is configured with multiple TAGs, andperforms a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and a PUSCH on the samecell, the user equipment may be defined such that the last symbol of asubframe transmitting the PUSCH is not mapped to a resource element forthe PUSCH. Hereinafter, the above-described embodiment may be describedin detail as Embodiment 1, with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.

Except in such case, operations of the user equipment may be defined toalways drop an SRS. Herein, a corresponding subframe may be aUE-specific aperiodic SRS subframe or a cell-specific SRS subframe. Morespecifically, the user equipment may be configured with multiple TAGsand perform a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and a PUSCH/PUCCH ondifferent cells. In this case, if the SRS transmission of the userequipment in a symbol on a subframe (e.g., subframe i) for a givenserving cell overlaps with PUCCH/PUSCH transmission on a subframe (e.g.,subframe i or subframe i+1) for a different serving cell(s), and if itstotal transmit power exceeds P_(CMAX) on any overlapped portion of thesymbol, the user equipment may drop the SRS in the subframe (e.g.,subframe i) associated with the SRS transmission. Hereinafter, theabove-described embodiment may be described in detail as Embodiment 2,with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

For a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and another SRS (referred toherein as “SRS+SRS”), user equipment may determine an SRS transmit powerby performing a power scaling using an identical scaling value (i.e., anidentical scaling factor) such that the user equipment can operate in atypical manner (i.e., such that the user equipment operates according toa typical or existing UE behavior). More specifically, in this case, if(i) user equipment is configured with multiple TAGs and (ii) there is atransmit power limitation (i.e., a total transmit power exceeds amaximum allowable transmit power (P_(CMAX)) of the user equipment on anyoverlapped portion between symbols associated with SRS transmissions),the user equipment may determine an SRS transmit power by performing apower scaling using an identical scaling factor when simultaneouslytransmitting ‘an SRS and another SRS’ (“SRS+SRS”) for different cells.Hereinafter, the above-described embodiment may be described in detailas Embodiment 3, with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10.

Second, in the case (“Case 2”) that (i) different component carriersbelong to the same TAG, or different component carriers belonging todifferent TAGs are fully overlapped, (ii) a simultaneous transmission ofPUCCH/PUSCH and an SRS is expected, and (iii) there is no transmit powerlimitation, operations of user equipment may be defined such that theuser equipment is operated according to UE operations described withreference to Formula 1 to Formula 4.

Third, in the case (“Case 3”) that (i) different component carriersbelonging to different TAGs are not fully overlapped (i.e., partlyoverlapped), (ii) a simultaneous transmission of PUCCH/PUSCH and an SRSis expected, and (iii) there is a transmit power limitation, operationsof user equipment may be defined as below.

For PUCCH+SRS (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of a PUCCH and an SRS),the user equipment may drop the SRS on a corresponding componentcarrier, and transmit only the PUCCH.

For PUSCH+SRS (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of a PUSCH and an SRS),the user equipment may drop the SRS on a corresponding componentcarrier, and transmit only the PUSCH.

For PUCCH+PUSCH+SRS (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of a PUCCH, aPUSCH and an SRS), the user equipment may drop the SRS on acorresponding component carrier, and transmit the PUCCH and PUSCHaccording to a transmit power determination method for a simultaneoustransmission of PUCCH and PUSCH (“PUCCH+PUSCH”). As described inEmbodiment 2, in the case that user equipment is configured withmultiple TAGs and a full or partial overlapping is in different TAGs, asimultaneous transmission of the SRS and the PUSCH/PUCCH in differentcells may be performed. In this case, if a total transmit power exceedsa maximum allowable transmit power (P_(CMAX)) of the user equipment onany overlapped portion between symbols transmitting the SRS and thePUCCH/PUSCH on the different cells, the user equipment may drop the SRSin a subframe associated with an SRS transmission. More specifically, ifthe SRS transmission of the user equipment in a symbol on a subframe(e.g., subframe i) for a given serving cell overlaps with PUCCH/PUSCHtransmission on a subframe (e.g., subframe i or subframe i+1) for adifferent serving cell(s), and if its total transmit power exceedsP_(CMAX) on any overlapped portion of the symbol, the user equipment maydrop the SRS in the subframe (e.g., subframe i) associated with the SRStransmission.

For SRS+SRS (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and anotherSRS), user equipment may determine an SRS transmit power by performing apower scaling using an identical scaling value (i.e., an identicalscaling factor) such that the user equipment can operate in a typicalmanner (i.e., such that the user equipment operates according to atypical or existing UE behavior). As described in Embodiment 3, if (i)user equipment is configured with multiple TAGs and (ii) there is atransmit power limitation (i.e., a total transmit power exceeds amaximum allowable transmit power (P_(CMAX)) of the user equipment on anyoverlapped portion between symbols associated with SRS transmissions),the user equipment may determine an SRS transmit power by performing apower scaling using an identical scaling factor when simultaneouslytransmitting an SRS and another SRS for different cells.

Fourth, in the case (“Case 4”) that (i) different component carriersbelonging to different TAGs are not fully overlapped (i.e., partlyoverlapped), (ii) a simultaneous transmission of PUCCH/PUSCH and an SRSis expected, and (iii) there is no transmit power limitation, operationsof user equipment may be defined as below.

For PUCCH+SRS (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of a PUCCH and an SRS),the user equipment may transmit the SRS on a component carrier intendedfor an SRS transmission, along with a PUCCH transmission.

For PUSCH+SRS (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of a PUSCH and an SRS),the user equipment may transmit the SRS on a component carrier intendedfor an SRS transmission, along with a PUSCH transmission.

For PUCCH+PUSCH+SRS (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of a PUCCH, aPUSCH and an SRS), the user equipment may transmit the SRS on acomponent carrier intended for an SRS transmission, along with a PUCCHtransmission and a PUSCH transmission.

For SRS+SRS (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and anotherSRS), user equipment may determine an SRS transmit power by performing apower scaling using an identical scaling value (i.e., an identicalscaling factor) such that the user equipment can operate in a typicalmanner (i.e., such that the user equipment operates according to atypical or existing UE behavior).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is adiagram illustrating a concept of controlling an uplink power in userequipment in accordance with Embodiment 1.

Referring to FIG. 5, a method (500) of controlling an uplink power inuser equipment according to Embodiment 1 may include (i) configuringmultiple TAGs at step S510 and (ii) performing an uplink resourcemapping at step S520.

At step S510, user equipment may be configured with multiple TAGs, by atransmission/reception point (e.g., a base station). The user equipmentmay receive configuration information associated with multiple TAGs(e.g., TAG configuration information) from the transmission/receptionpoint, and configure (or form) multiple TAGs. For example, the TAGconfiguration information may be transmitted to the user equipment,through downlink control information (e.g., PDCCH) or higher layersignaling (e.g., an RRC message) from the transmission/reception point.

At step S520, in the case of a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and aPUSCH on the same cell, the user equipment may perform an uplinkresource mapping such that resource elements for the PUSCH are mapped tothe SC-FDMA symbols excluding the last symbol assigned for an SRStransmission in a subframe.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 6, in the case that multiple TAGs(e.g., TAG0 and TAG1) are formed, if user equipment is defined totransmit an SRS in the same subframe in the same cell as a celltransmitting a PUSCH, a rate matching may be performed for the lastsymbol associated with a PUSCH transmission. In this case, as shown inFIG. 6(a), when multiple TAGs are applied, an uplink channel (e.g., anuplink data channel and/or an uplink control channel) and an SRS betweendifferent component carriers (e.g., CC0, CC1) or component carriergroups may be fully overlapped. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6(b), inthe case that multiple TAGs are applied, an uplink channel (e.g., anuplink data channel and/or an uplink control channel) and an SRS betweendifferent component carriers (e.g., CC0, CC1) or different componentcarrier groups may be partly overlapped.

Herein, the “cell” may be one component carrier. The SRS may be one of aperiodic SRS and an aperiodic SRS.

More specifically, in the case that PUSCH is mapped to physicalresources, a mapping to time and frequency resource elements (k, l)corresponding to a physical resource block (or physical resource blocks)assigned for a PUSCH transmission may not be used for an SC-FDMA symbolreserved for a possible SRS transmission for a UE-specific periodic SRSin the same serving cell. In other words, regardless of whether a PUSCHincludes UCI, operations of user equipment may be defined to transmitPUSCH where the last symbol reserved for an SRS transmission in acorresponding subframe is punctured such that the last symbol reservedfor the SRS transmission is not mapped to a resource element for thePUSCH.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 2. FIG. 8 is adiagram illustrating a concept of controlling an uplink power in userequipment in accordance with Embodiment 2.

Referring to FIG. 7, a method (700) of controlling an uplink power inuser equipment according to Embodiment 2 may include (i) configuring (orforming) multiple TAGs at step S710 and (ii) controlling an uplink powerat step S720.

At step S710, user equipment may be configured with multiple TAGs, by atransmission/reception point (e.g., a base station). The user equipmentmay receive configuration information associated with multiple TAGs(e.g., TAG configuration information) from the transmission/receptionpoint, and configure (or form) multiple TAGs. For example, the TAGconfiguration information may be transmitted to the user equipment,through downlink control information (e.g., PDCCH) or higher layersignaling (e.g., an RRC message) from the transmission/reception point.

At step S720, in the case that a simultaneous transmission of an SRS andPUSCH/PUCCH is performed in different cells, if a total transmit powerexceeds a maximum allowable transmit power (P_(CMAX)) of the userequipment on any overlapped portion between symbols transmitting the SRSand the PUCCH/PUSCH on the different cells, the user equipment may dropthe SRS in a subframe associated with an SRS transmission. Herein, thedifferent cells may be two or more different component carriers. The SRSmay be one of a periodic SRS and an aperiodic SRS.

In other words, if the SRS transmission of user equipment in a symbol ona subframe (e.g., subframe i) for a given serving cell in a TAG overlapswith PUCCH/PUSCH transmission on a subframe (e.g., subframe i orsubframe i+1) for a different serving cell in the same or another TAG,the user equipment may drop the SRS if its total transmit power exceedsP_(CMAX) on any overlapped portion of the symbol.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8(a), in the case that (i) differentcomponent carriers (e.g., CC0 and CC1) belong to the same TAG (e.g.,TAG0), and (ii) a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and PUSCH/PUCCH isperformed for different cells, user equipment may transmit or drop theSRS according to whether a transmit power limitation exists. Forexample, in the case that there is no transmit power limitation, ifmultiple TAGs are formed, the user equipment may transmit the SRS. Inthe case that there is a transmit power limitation, the user equipmentmay drop the SRS. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(c), in thecase that (i) different component carriers (e.g., CC0 and CC1) belong todifferent TAGs (e.g., TAG0 and TAG1) and (ii) an SRS transmission andPUSCH/PUCCH transmission are fully overlapped, when performing asimultaneous transmission of an SRS and PUSCH/PUCCH for different cells,user equipment may transmit or drop the SRS according to whether atransmit power limitation exists. For example, in the case that notransmit power limitation exists, if multiple TAGs are formed, the userequipment may transmit the SRS. In the case that a transmit powerlimitation exists, the user equipment may drop the SRS. Meanwhile, asshown in FIG. 8(d), in the case that (i) different component carriers(e.g., CC0 and CC1) belong to different TAGs (e.g., TAG0 and TAG1) and(ii) an SRS transmission and PUSCH/PUCCH transmission are partlyoverlapped, when performing a simultaneous transmission of an SRS andPUSCH/PUCCH for different cells, user equipment may transmit or drop theSRS according to whether a transmit power limitation exists. Forexample, in the case that no transmit power limitation exists, ifmultiple TAGs are formed, the user equipment may transmit the SRS. Inthe case that a transmit power limitation exists, the user equipment maydrop the SRS.

Meanwhile, in the case that user equipment is configured with three ormore serving cells, if an SRS transmission of user equipment in a symbolon a subframe (e.g., subframe i) for a given serving cell in a TAGoverlaps (i) with an SRS transmission on a subframe (e.g., subframe i)for a different serving cell(s) and (ii) with PUCCH/PUSCH transmissionon a subframe (e.g., subframe i or subframe i+1) for another servingcell(s), the user equipment may drop the SRS if the total transmit powerexceeds P_(CMAX) on any overlapped portion of the symbol. In otherwords, if user equipment is configured with three or more serving cells,user equipment may perform a simultaneous transmission ofSRS+SRS+PUSCH/PUCCH (i.e., a simultaneous transmission of an SRS,another SRS, and PUSCH/PUCCH) on three or more component carriers in twoor more TAGs. In this case, if a corresponding symbol is fully or partlyoverlapped and there is a transmit power limitation, the user equipmentmay drop all the SRSs before performing another power scaling. In thiscase, if no transmit power limitation exists, the user equipment maytransmit all the SRSs.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an uplinkpower in user equipment in accordance with Embodiment 3. FIG. 10 is adiagram illustrating a concept of controlling an uplink power in userequipment in accordance with Embodiment 3.

Referring to FIG. 9, a method (900) of controlling an uplink power inuser equipment according to Embodiment 3 may include (i) configuringmultiple TAGs at step S910 and (ii) determining an SRS transmit power atstep S920.

At step S910, user equipment may be configured with multiple TAGs, by atransmission/reception point (e.g., a base station). The user equipmentmay receive configuration information associated with multiple TAGs(e.g., TAG configuration information) from the transmission/receptionpoint, and configure (or form) multiple TAGs. For example, the TAGconfiguration information may be transmitted to the user equipment,through downlink control information (e.g., PDCCH) or higher layersignaling (e.g., an RRC message) from the transmission/reception point.

At step S920, in the case that there is a transmit power limitation anda simultaneous transmission of an SRS and another SRS (“SRS+SRS”) ondifferent cells is performed, user equipment may determine an SRStransmit power by performing an identical power scaling, where a scalingfactor is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1. In other words, asshown in FIG. 10(a) (in the case that TAGs are the same), FIG. 10(b) (inthe case that TAGs are different and there is a partial overlapping),and FIG. 10(c) (in the case that TAGs are different and there is a fulloverlapping), user equipment may determine an SRS transmit power byperforming an identical scaling. More specifically, if (i) an SRStransmission of user equipment in a symbol on a subframe (e.g., subframei) for a given serving cell in one TAG (e.g., TAG0) partly or fullyoverlaps with an SRS transmission on a subframe (e.g., subframe i) for adifferent serving cell in a different TAG (e.g., TAG1) and (ii) there isa transmit power limitation, the user equipment may determine an SRStransmit power for a simultaneous transmission of “SRS+SRS” byperforming an identical scaling such that a total transmit power doesnot exceed P_(CMAX). In this case, if there is no transmit powerlimitation, the user may transmit the SRSs without performing a powerscaling. Herein, the different cells may be 2 or more differentcomponent carriers. The SRS may be one of a periodic SRS and anaperiodic SRS.

FIG. 11 is a system flowchart illustrating a method of controlling anuplink power in accordance with other embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 11, at step S1110, under coordinatedmulti-point transmission/reception (CoMP) or carrier aggregation (CA),the first transmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110) corresponding toa serving cell may transmit configuration information associated withmultiple TAGs (e.g., TAG configuration information) to user equipment120 (UE1). Herein, the TAG configuration information may be transmittedto user equipment 120 (UE1), through downlink control information (e.g.,PDCCH) or higher layer signaling (e.g., an RRC message) from the firsttransmission/reception point (e.g., eNB 110).

At step S1120, user equipment 120 (UE1) may receive the TAGconfiguration information, and configure (or form) multiple TAGs. Asdescribed above, although user equipment is configured with multipleTAGs by a transmission/reception point, specific component carriersunder carrier aggregation (CA) may belong to the same TAG. For example,in the case that two uplink component carriers are configured, eachcomponent carrier may belong to the same TAG. For another example, inthe case that three uplink component carriers are configured, two uplinkcomponent carriers may belong to the same TAG, and the other uplinkcomponent carrier may belong to another TAG (i.e., a different TAG).

At step S1130, user equipment 120 (UE1) may perform a resource mappingand a power control associated with an uplink channel (e.g., an uplinkdata channel and/or an uplink control channel) and an SRS, according toCase 1 through Case 4 as described above. Herein, “Case 1” representsthe case that (i) different component carriers belong to the same TAG,or different component carriers belonging to different TAGs are fullyoverlapped, (ii) a simultaneous transmission of PUCCH/PUSCH and an SRSis expected, and (iii) a transmit power limitation exists. “Case 2”represents the case that (i) different component carriers belong to thesame TAG, or different component carriers belonging to different TAGsare fully overlapped, (ii) a simultaneous transmission of PUCCH/PUSCHand an SRS is expected, and (iii) no transmit power limitation exists.“Case 3” represents the case that (i) different component carriersbelonging to different TAGs are not fully overlapped (i.e., partlyoverlapped), (ii) a simultaneous transmission of PUCCH/PUSCH and an SRSis expected, and (iii) a transmit power limitation exists. “Case 4”represents the case that (i) different component carriers belonging todifferent TAGs are not fully overlapped (i.e., partly overlapped), (ii)a simultaneous transmission of PUCCH/PUSCH and an SRS is expected, and(iii) no transmit power limitation exists.

At step S1130, for example, as described with reference to FIG. 5 andFIG. 6, in the case of a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and a PUSCHon the same cell, the user equipment may perform an uplink resourcemapping such that resource elements for the PUSCH are mapped to theSC-FDMA symbols excluding the last symbol assigned for an SRStransmission in a subframe. Since such operation was described in detailwith respect to Embodiment 1 above, the detailed description thereof isomitted.

At step S1130, for another example, as described with reference to FIG.7 and FIG. 8, in the case that a simultaneous transmission of an SRS andPUSCH/PUCCH is performed in different cells, if a total transmit powerexceeds a maximum allowable transmit power (P_(CMAX)) of the userequipment on any overlapped portion between symbols transmitting the SRSand the PUCCH/PUSCH on the different cells, the user equipment may dropthe SRS in a subframe associated with an SRS transmission. Since suchoperation was already described in detail as Embodiment 2, the detaileddescription thereof is omitted.

At step S1130, for still another example, as described with reference toFIG. 9 and FIG. 10, in the case that a transmit power limitation existsand a simultaneous transmission of an SRS and another SRS (“SRS+SRS”) ondifferent cells is performed, user equipment 120 may determine an SRStransmit power by performing an identical power scaling. Since suchoperation was described in detail with respect to Embodiment 3 above,the detailed description thereof is omitted.

Furthermore, in the case that two or more different component carriersare configured for an uplink transmission of user equipment, and theuser equipment is configured with multiple TAGs, operations of the userequipment may be defined according to whether the user equipment is in apower limited situation or a non-power-limited situation. Particularly,a UE operation method associated with the case that (i) differentcomponent carriers (CCs) belong to the same TAG or (ii) differentcomponent carriers belonging to different TAGs are fully overlapped maybe first applied. Thereafter, UE operations associated with the casethat different component carriers belonging to different TAGs are notfully overlapped (i.e., partly overlapped) may be further applied.

In other words, UE operations for different component carriers belongingto the same TAG may be first defined such that a backward compatibilitycan be applied. Accordingly, when transmitting an uplink channel (e.g.,an uplink control channel and/or an uplink data channel) and an SRSunder the same TAG, a power control or a dropping procedure for specificchannel and/or signal may be performed. Furthermore, an uplink datachannel transmission and an SRS transmission through component carriersbelonging to different TAGs may be maximally guaranteed.

In addition, according to such operations defined for user equipment, inthe case of carrier aggregation, degradation of data transmission ratein data channels may be prevented by avoiding an excessive power controlfor an uplink data channel. Furthermore, for SRS, a frequent droppingand/or an excessive power control according to satisfaction of specificconditions may be prevented, thereby ensuring a reliability of an SRStransmission in the case of carrier aggregation. Accordingly, a gainaccording to a frequency dependent scheduling and/or a beam-forming gainaccording to channel reciprocity in a time division duplex (TDD) may beobtained.

Returning to FIG. 11, at step S1140, user equipment 120 may multiplex anuplink channel (e.g., an uplink data channel and/or an uplink controlchannel) and an uplink reference signal (e.g., an SRS) to which theabove-described uplink power control methods of user equipment areapplied, and may transmit the multiplexed channel/signal to at least oneof the first transmission/reception point 110 and the secondtransmission/reception point 112. In this case, in an uplink CoMPsituation, user equipment 120 may transmit at least one of an uplinkchannel (e.g., an uplink data channel and/or an uplink control channel)and an uplink reference signal (e.g., SRS) to the firsttransmission/reception point 110, and transmit at least another of themto the second transmission/reception point 112.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a transmission/reception point inaccordance with some embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 12, transmission/reception 1200 according to at leastone embodiment may include control processor 1210, transmitter 1220, andreceiver 1230.

Control processor 1210 may control operations of transmission/receptionpoint 1200, according to (i) transmission and multiplexing methodsassociated with control channels transmitted on uplink in user equipmentunder carrier aggregation, and/or (ii) a method of multiplexing anuplink control channel and an SRS.

Transmitter 1220 and receiver 1230 may respectively transmit and receivesignals, messages, and/or data required for performing theabove-described present embodiments, in connection with the userequipment. For example, transmitter 1220 may transmit configurationinformation associated with multiple TAGs (e.g., TAG configurationinformation) to the user equipment. Receiver 1230 may receive at leastone of an uplink channel (e.g., an uplink data channel and/or an uplinkcontrol channel) and an uplink reference signal (e.g., an SRS) to whichthe above-described uplink power control methods of the user equipmentare applied, from the user equipment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating user equipment in accordance with someembodiments.

Referring to FIG. 13, user equipment 1300 according to at least oneembodiment may include receiver 1310, control processor 1320, andtransmitter 1330.

Receiver 1310 may receive downlink control information, data, and/ormessages through a corresponding channel from a transmission/receptionpoint. As described in Embodiment 1, receiver 1310 may receiveconfiguration information associated with multiple TAGs (e.g., TAGconfiguration information) from the transmission/reception point.

In addition, control processor 1320 may control operations of userequipment 1300, according to transmission and multiplexing methodsassociated with control channels transmitted on uplink in user equipment1300 under carrier aggregation, and/or a method of multiplexing anuplink control channel and an SRS.

As described in Embodiment 1, control processor 1320 may form themultiple TAGs, and perform a resource mapping for a simultaneoustransmission of an SRS and a PUSCH on the same cell. Herein, theresource mapping may be performed such that the last symbol of asubframe transmitting the PUSCH is not mapped to a resource element forthe PUSCH. Alternatively, as described in Embodiment 2, controlprocessor 1320 may form the multiple TAGs, and control an SRStransmission in the case of a simultaneous transmission of an SRS andPUSCH/PUCCH (i.e., PUSCH and/or PUCCH) on different cells. Herein, thecontrolling may include dropping the SRS if a total transmit powerexceeds a maximum allowable transmit power (P_(CMAX)) of user equipment1300 on an overlapped portion between symbols transmitting the SRS andthe PUSCH/PUCCH on the different cells. Alternatively, as described inEmbodiment 3, in the case of a simultaneous transmission of an SRS(referred to herein as “a first SRS”) and another SRS (referred toherein as “a second SRS”) (i.e., in the case of a simultaneoustransmission of SRS+SRS) on different cells, control processor 1320 maydetermine a transmit power of each SRS transmitted to each of thedifferent cells by performing an identical scaling, if a total transmitpower exceeds a maximum allowable transmit power of user equipment 1300in an overlapped portion between symbols transmitting the first SRS andthe second SRS.

Transmitter 1330 may transmit control information, data, and/or messagesthrough a corresponding channel to a transmission/reception point.

In the above-described embodiments, in the case that user equipment isconfigured with multiple TAGs under carrier aggregation, and an uplinkcontrol/data channel(s) and an SRS are transmitted on differentcomponent carriers, operations of user equipment may be definedaccording to whether a transmit power limitation exists for the userequipment. Accordingly, an ambiguity associated uplink channel/signaltransmissions of the user equipment according to a request of atransmission/reception point may be overcome.

Under carrier aggregation, the above-described embodiments may defineoperations of user equipment according to whether a transmit powerlimitation exists for the user equipment, in the case that (i) the userequipment is configured with multiple TAGs and (ii) an uplink channel(e.g., an uplink control channel and/or an uplink data channel) and anSRS are transmitted on different component carriers. Meanwhile, evenunder CoMP, in the case that (i) user equipment is configured withmultiple TAGs and (ii) an uplink channel (e.g., an uplink controlchannel and/or an uplink data channel) and an SRS are transmitted ondifferent component carriers, operations of the user equipment may bedefined according to whether a transmit power limitation exists for theuser equipment, as described above.

Although contents of technical standards referred to in theabove-described embodiments are omitted for brief descriptions of thespecification, the related contents of the technical standards mayconstitute a portion of the present specification. Accordingly, adding aportion of the standards-related content in the specification and/or theclaims will be construed as being included in the scope of the presentinvention.

More specifically, the included documents may constitute a portion ofthe present specification as a portion of published documents.Accordingly, adding a portion of standards-related contents and/orstandard documents in the description and/or the claims will beconstrued as being included in the scope of the present invention.

As described above, since the technical idea of the present invention isdescribed by exemplary embodiments, various forms of substitutions,modifications and alterations may be made by those skilled in the artfrom the above description without departing from essential features ofthe present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in thepresent invention are intended to illustrate the technical idea of thepresent invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limitedby the embodiment. The scope of the present invention shall be construedon the basis of the accompanying claims in such a manner that all of thetechnical ideas included within the scope equivalent to the claimsbelong to the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of controlling an uplink power in userequipment (UE), the method comprising: configuring multiple timingadvance groups (TAGs); and controlling an uplink transmission, based ontypes of signals or channels to be simultaneously transmitted, whereinin a case that (i) a sounding reference signal (SRS) and a physicaluplink shared channel (PUSCH) are transmitted in a same subframe in asame component carrier among a plurality of component carriersassociated with the multiple TAGs and (ii) the SRS is a UE-specific SRSconfigured based on SRS configuration parameters specific to the UE, thecontrolling includes: performing a resource mapping such that a lastsymbol of the same subframe transmitting the PUSCH is not mapped to aresource element for the PUSCH, wherein the last symbol of the samesubframe is reserved for an SRS transmission; and wherein in a case thata plurality of SRSs are simultaneously transmitted on different cells,the controlling includes: if a total transmit power of the plurality ofSRSs exceeds a maximum allowable transmit power of the user equipment onan overlapped portion between symbols transmitting the plurality ofSRSs, adjusting a transmit power of each SRS by performing an identicalscaling using an identical scaling factor between the different cellssuch that the total transmit power does not exceed the maximum allowabletransmit power of the user equipment.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe UE-specific SRS includes at least one of a UE-specific periodic SRSand a UE-specific aperiodic SRS.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein thedifferent cells are different component carriers belonging to differentTAGs.
 4. User equipment (UE) comprising: a receiver configured toreceive configuration information associated with multiple timingadvance groups (TAGs); and a control processor configured (i) toconfigure the multiple TAGs, and (ii) to control an uplink transmission,based on types of signals or channels to be simultaneously transmitted,wherein in a case that (i) a sounding reference signal (SRS) and aphysical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) are transmitted in a samesubframe in a same component carrier among a plurality of componentcarriers associated with the multiple TAGs and (ii) the SRS is aUE-specific SRS configured based on SRS configuration parametersspecific to the UE, the control processor is configured to perform aresource mapping such that a last symbol of the same subframetransmitting the PUSCH is not mapped to a resource element for thePUSCH, wherein the last symbol of the same subframe is reserved for anSRS transmission; and wherein in a case that a plurality of SRSs aresimultaneously transmitted on different cells, the control processor isconfigured to: if a total transmit power of the plurality of SRSsexceeds a maximum allowable transmit power of the user equipment on anoverlapped portion between symbols transmitting the plurality of SRSs,adjust a transmit power of each SRS by performing an identical scalingusing an identical scaling factor between the different cells such thatthe total transmit power does not exceed the maximum allowable transmitpower of the user equipment.
 5. The user equipment of claim 4, whereinthe UE-specific SRS includes at least one of a UE-specific periodic SRSand a UE-specific aperiodic SRS.
 6. The user equipment of claim 4,wherein the different cells are different component carriers belongingto different TAGs.